Craft Beer Market Kanda in Kanda, Tokyo

October 17, 2018

Craft Beer Market Kanda The Bottom Line

Out of the plethora of choices in the Craft Beer Market range, Craft Beer Market Kanda has some great food but can’t beat out the Craft Beer Market Jimbocho Terrace or Craft Beer Market Otemachi locations for atmosphere. Like the other ones in the range, Craft Beer Market Kanda is non-smoking, has a table charge, but includes tax in their prices. While the menu is heavily geared towards meat-eaters, there are some vegetarian choices available, but not really enough to keep you full up. There is also free WiFi and some English menus available too – which I only found out once I mangled some of the pronunciation!

Craft Beer Market Kanda The Full Review

We’ve held off reviewing this location of Craft Beer Market – their 10th – as if you’ve been to one, you’ve pretty much been to them all – or so some people think. This location opened up in April 2017. Like the rest of the branches in the Craft Beer Market range, this one specialises in its own food with the Kanda location being focussed around lamb.

Craft Beer Market Kanda is located less than a two minute walk from JR Kanda station, though it can also be reached from the Kanda Metro station as well. In fact, it’s located in an area of Kanda that is quickly becoming one of the most populated area for craft beer bars in Tokyo – perhaps close behind the Kannai area in Yokohama. Craft Beer Market Kanda is completely non-smoking and has space for about 50 people inside, located at various high tables around the bar and a few counter seats. The seats weren’t the comfiest I’ve sat in – constantly moving around so my arse didn’t become numb. However, Craft Beer Market Kanda does have the dreaded ¥300 table charge but at least the free WiFi kind of makes up for it but not much.

Craft Beer Market Kanda has around 30 taps of beer on at any one time – 3 are dedicated to macro beers while the other 27 taps are geared towards both domestic and imported craft beers. If you don’t know or have never been to a Craft Beer Market branch then a quick recap: it’s a chain of craft beer bars across Tokyo. Simple as that. The selection of craft beer is always great, as most of them have 20+ taps with prices from ¥480 for a glass (250ml) to ¥780 for a pint (470ml). All prices include tax so you know what you are getting for your money. There wasn’t any option of a beer flight or tasting menu though, something that would have been a nice addition to the day.

The food is based around lamb but the gyoza – wow! Just order a plate of those with a liberal dosing of coriander / cilantro on top and you’ll be sorted. Better order up a few plates of them because they are THAT GOOD! I had two on the day and forgot about everything else on the menu – including chips! If you’re a vegetarian then you are going to be strapped for choice here – there’s a couple of things you could have but you would be hard-pressed to come away feeling full up.